Gold is up more than 4 percent at $1,200 an ounce for the first time in more than a year as the U.S. Federal Reserve’s stimulus package continued to drive up the price.

Gold prices had fallen nearly 40 percent in the last year and now stand at $16,878 an ounce.

The S&P 500 has fallen 4.4 percent this year and is down nearly 10 percent.

The dollar is down about 1.7 percent to 104.50 per dollar.

Gold miners in the United States have been struggling to maintain production.

The price of ore has dropped nearly 40-percent in the past year and some have said they’re seeing fewer miners working on the mine sites because of the economic downturn.

The U.N. has said a global recession in China is likely.

In a conference call on Thursday, Fed Chair Janet Yellen said the recent drop in the price is the result of a global economic recession that began about two years ago.

She also noted that the Federal Reserve has taken a “firm stance” in its interest rate decisions.

The Fed said Thursday that it would raise rates this year to 0.25 percent, the lowest level since June 2009, if inflation was below 2 percent.

The central bank is also raising its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points, to 0 percent, if the economy continues to contract at a pace of 2.6 percent.