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I see that there a separate discussions on so and so many meanings of so are discussed, but I would like to know if so can also mean as per?
I was reading Euronews Online and I came across the following statement :
Die Arbeitslosenquote nahm um 0,2 Punkte auf 6,5 Prozent ab, so die Bundesagentur für Arbeit.
I assume it means as per or according to BfA – is that correct? Does the dictionary list this meaning of so?
Yes, it can be used as "according to", but this usage is mostly found in news reports, and it can only be used after the statement.
For example, you could not say
"So die Bundesagentur für Arbeit, nahm die Arbeitslosenquote um 0,2 Punkte auf 6,5 Prozent ab."
"So" essentialy means "like this", so literally it would be
"The unemployment rate declined by 0.2 to a value of 6.5%, (saying it) "like this" (/according to) the Federal Employment Agency."
If more citations follow, there can also be a "weiter" (continuing/further) added. As in
Die Zahlen des nächsten Monats werden bald vorliegen, so die Agentur weiter.
The values of next month will soon be available, "so" the agency "continues/further".
You wouldn't use it like this in a conversation, as it's a typical news report phrasing.
To say "according to" it's more common to use "laut" + Gentitv or Dativ (according to Duden, both is OK), which is used before the statement. As in
"Laut der Bundesagentur für Arbeit nahm die Arbeitslosenquote um 0,2 Punkte auf 6,5 Prozent ab."
So can also be used to report direct quotations (in quotation marks). In such cases it’s best translated as said. This example from today’s Spiegel Online:
“Der große Unterschied ist, dass der IS als Terroristengruppe geführt wird”, so de Bruin.
“The big difference is that the IS is operated like a terror group”, said de Bruin.
According to or as per would sound odd in that context.
Yes, it means according to and is frequently found in written German.
![so [laut] - according to {prep} [reporting a person's opinion, e.g. no news can be expected according to the president]](https://i.stack.imgur.com/WaBaQ.png)
