Gold prices surpassed the $4,000 mark per ounce for the first time in history on Wednesday morning.

The yellow metal reached $4,001.11 per ounce in early Asian trading, having risen by more than 50 percent since the start of the year, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Investors have flocked to the precious metal as a safe haven amid growing concerns over a potential U.S. government shutdown and the ongoing political crisis in France.