São Paulo is one of the largest cities in the world economically, and is expected to be the 6th largest in 2025. According to data of Fecomercio/SP, its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017 was R$699.28 billion ($219.11B today).
The biggest financial center in Brazil and one of the biggest financial centers in the world, São Paulo's economy is going through a deep transformation. Once a city with a strong industrial character, São Paulo's economy has become increasingly based on the tertiary sector, focusing on services and businesses for the country. The city is also unique among Brazilian cities for its large number of foreign corporations. Many analysts point to São Paulo as an important global city, even though this assignment can be criticized considering its serious problems of social exclusion and spatial segregation. Although being the most important financial centre of the country, São Paulo also presents a high degree of informality in its economy. (Full article...)