maxSequence.py

import sys

FIN  = open('input.txt',  'r')
x = FIN.read().split()[:-1]

prev = -999
cur = 0
answer = 0
# max increase
for element in x:
    if element > prev:
        cur += 1
    else:
        answer = max(answer, cur)
        cur = 1
    prev = element

# max decrease
answer = max(answer, cur)
cur = 0
prev = sys.maxint
for element in x:
    if element < prev:
        cur += 1
    else:
        answer = max(answer, cur)
        cur = 1
    prev = element
answer = max(answer, cur)

print(answer)